J.J. Watt credited with another sack, trails Aldon Smith by one

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 6, 2012, 8:27 AM EST

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Texans defensive end J.J. Watt’s attempt to catch 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith for the NFL sack lead was bolstered when the league’s official statisticians reviewed the tape from Sunday’s win over the Titans and gave Watt another sack.

The official scorers had originally said that when Titans quarterback Jake Locker slipped, fell and fumbled just as Watt was pressuring him, that it wasn’t a sack for Watt because Locker dropped the ball before Watt touched him. After reviewing the tape, that was reversed, and Watt now has 16.5 sacks.

Smith still leads the league with 17.5 sacks, while Denver’s Von Miller is third with 15 sacks. Those three, who were among the first 11 picks in last year’s NFL draft, will be terrorizing NFL quarterbacks for years to come.

And those three also may be chasing Michael Strahan’s NFL record of 22.5 sacks in a season. Smith is on pace to break the record and finish with 23.5, while Watt is on pace to fall just short with 22, and Miller is currently on pace for 20. Only eight players in NFL history — Strahan, Jared Allen, Mark Gastineau, Reggie White, Chris Doleman, Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas and DeMarcus Ware — have ever had 20 sacks in a season.

Don’t give him to much credit for those defended passes! To me they are like a basketball flop! Simply , weak! Why don’t D-lineman quit rushing the QB , and start jumping in the air, just seems like a sissy move personally

goldrush36 says:Dec 6, 2012 9:19 AM

I’m not gonna take anything away from Watt because he is certainly deserving of DPOY but trollhammer is comparing a 3-4 end to an OLB that has to drop into coverage and actually is doing a hell of a job at it avoiding passes coming his way. Watt is batting down the ball at the line. All 3 of these guys are beasts. I still find it funny that 2 of them were considered a bit overrated by the talking heads too. 3 2nd year players all leading the nfl already.. good things for many years to come unless you are a QB

Teams are just passing the ball more. L.T and Reggie White would probably have 30 in this years league

myopinionisrighterthanyours says:Dec 6, 2012 9:26 AM

I just wonder if someone is half a sack short going into the last week, if the NFL will force their opponent to give Brett Favre a one week contract. Good luck to all 3. Oh, and @ccjcsr, yes, this may be the highest numbers all three put up for their careers, but I do believe all three had great rookie seasons last year, and there’s no reason to believe that they won’t continue at a high level.

So the NFL gifts their new “Golden Child” another sack so he can keep up in the race with Smith.
Wasn’t it great when stats & penalties were actually gained on the field during the game, not days later in the office.

trollhammer20 says:Dec 6, 2012 9:35 AM

RUAHORNH8R says:Dec 6, 2012 9:13 AM

Don’t give him to much credit for those defended passes! To me they are like a basketball flop! Simply , weak! Why don’t D-lineman quit rushing the QB , and start jumping in the air, just seems like a sissy move personally
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If you take that tack, then Aldon Smith does the “sissy move” of just running around the two blockers engaged with Justin Smith and going to the QB almost untouched on a pretty good percentage of his sacks.

Between TFLs, sacks, and blocked passes, Watt has 44.5 plays for zero gain or less. Plus, several of those tipped balls wound up as interceptions. But, yeah, let’s discredit him because he’s not enough HULK SMASH!!!! for the tastes of some people who don’t understand the game very well.

flakeybiscuits says:Dec 6, 2012 9:45 AM

it drives me NUTS when i hear about these three guys that went in the top 11 AFTER the bills took marcell dareus 3rd overall. Hes still a great football player and I love him being on my team, but these guys are entirely on another level. fun to watch

tbtrojan says:
Dec 6, 2012 9:34 AM
So the NFL gifts their new “Golden Child” another sack so he can keep up in the race with Smith.
Wasn’t it great when stats & penalties were actually gained on the field during the game, not days later in the office.

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The NFL took away one of his sacks from week 1 as well earlier in the season… He got fined for a clean hit on Stafford… Not that Golden…

Watt doesn’t have the help from his other D lineman to take on his defender also, so I’d say Watt gets his own sacks while Smith has a lot of help.

bluenose1965 says:Dec 6, 2012 10:25 AM

RUAHORNH8R says:
Dec 6, 2012 9:13 AM
Don’t give him to much credit for those defended passes! To me they are like a basketball flop! Simply , weak! Why don’t D-lineman quit rushing the QB , and start jumping in the air, just seems like a sissy move personally

tbtrojan says:
Dec 6, 2012 9:34 AM
So the NFL gifts their new “Golden Child” another sack so he can keep up in the race with Smith.
Wasn’t it great when stats & penalties were actually gained on the field during the game, not days later in the office.

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Haters Gonna hate!!

Weren’t the Texans much more fun when they weren’t relevant.

Sorry folks, but while there’s no guarantees in the play-offs, they are one of the best teams in the NFL.

Also no guarantees for pointless awards, but right now J.J. Watt is having the biggest impact defensively in the league.

Don’t give him to much credit for those defended passes! To me they are like a basketball flop! Simply , weak! Why don’t D-lineman quit rushing the QB , and start jumping in the air, just seems like a sissy move personally

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Did you think about what you were saying before you typed it? Knocking a pass down before it even has the chance to get to an open man is overrated and sissy? This guy is rushing the QB with one hand in the air to knock the ball down (or in the playoffs last year to grab a pass thrown very hard from one yard away and run it in for 6). That means he’s beating his blockers using only one arm. This guy is a beast, all 3 of these guys are beasts!

Kind of pathetic and silly the way fans have to snipe back and forth about these three players. Can people just agree that all three are incredibly good? Teams have to scheme for all three. Offenses have to take all three into account.

I do wish people would stop pretending that all of Aldon Smith’s sacks are the result of Justin Smith stunting for him. Please watch a game. I’d say about a quarter of his sacks are the result of stunting.